diff --git a/awx/lib/management_modules/tower_capacity.py b/awx/lib/management_modules/tower_capacity.py
index bd8dcab80e..2c3785fe1a 100644
--- a/awx/lib/management_modules/tower_capacity.py
+++ b/awx/lib/management_modules/tower_capacity.py
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@ def main():
         argument_spec = dict()
     )
     # Duplicated with awx.main.utils.common.get_system_task_capacity
-    proc = subprocess.Popen(['free', '-m'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
-    out,err = proc.communicate()
+    try:
+        out = subprocess.check_output(['free', '-m'])
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        module.fail_json(msg=str(e))
+        return
     total_mem_value = out.split()[7]
     if int(total_mem_value) <= 2048:
         cap = 50
diff --git a/awx/main/utils/common.py b/awx/main/utils/common.py
index b78f5b4ba5..d8c9e11f20 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/common.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/common.py
@@ -543,8 +543,11 @@ def get_system_task_capacity():
     from django.conf import settings
     if hasattr(settings, 'SYSTEM_TASK_CAPACITY'):
         return settings.SYSTEM_TASK_CAPACITY
-    proc = subprocess.Popen(['free', '-m'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
-    out,err = proc.communicate()
+    try:
+        out = subprocess.check_output(['free', '-m'])
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        logger.error('Problem obtaining capacity from system, error:\n{}'.format(str(e)))
+        return 0
     total_mem_value = out.split()[7]
     if int(total_mem_value) <= 2048:
         return 50